by Sarah Hope
Chapter 21
Taking a deep breath, Chrissy rang the doorbell. She’d just ask Natalie to forward the photo to her if it was on her phone and then go. She wouldn’t even need to go in.
‘Chrissy, hi.’ Pulling the door open, Natalie smiled. ‘How are you?’
‘Ok, thanks. I’m sorry to bother you and I probably shouldn’t have come round, but I just wondered if you could forward that photo you said I could have of the bridesmaid dress before I’d altered it? I completely understand if you want me to just go though.’
‘Don’t be daft. Just because you’ve had a bust-up with Luke, it doesn’t mean I don’t still class you as a friend. Come in.’
‘It’s ok, I’ve got to...’
‘Come on, I won’t take no for an answer. Come in out of the cold.’
‘Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome. I’ve got to say, I was rather shocked when Luke told me you’d split up though. I thought you were a great couple and I hadn’t seen Luke so happy in years.’
‘Well, I...’ What was she supposed to say? She couldn’t very well tell her that her brother had played away, could she?
‘Hey, look, it’s between you and Luke, not me.’ Natalie held up her hands to stop Chrissy from saying any more. ‘Come through.’
Following Natalie through to the family room, Chrissy smiled. It was nice that Natalie was staying neutral, it would make things easier.
‘Cup of tea?’ Natalie pointed to the kettle before handing Poppy, who was happily kicking her legs in the bouncy chair, a teething ring she had dropped.
‘Could I just have a water, please?’
‘Are you sure?’
Chrissy nodded and perched on the edge of the sofa.
‘Here you go.’
‘Thanks.’ Taking the glass, Chrissy took a long sip, the chilled water hitting the back of her throat was a welcome distraction to the fact she was now sat on the sofa with Luke’s sister.
‘Luke rang me after he’d dropped the boys off at school to tell me Kane had forgotten his lunchbox.’ Natalie rolled her eyes. ‘Typical Kane, he’s always forgetting something and just when I’d thought I’d got out of doing the school run this morning.’ Natalie laughed and leant back against the sofa cushions.
‘That’s always the way, isn’t it?’
‘It sure is. With him anyway.’ Natalie took a sip of the coffee she had resting on the coffee table. ‘He mentioned you hadn’t seemed very well? You do look a bit peaky. Is everything ok?’
‘Yes, I’m fine thanks.’ She took a cushion from behind her and laid it on her knees. ‘I just didn’t get much sleep over the weekend, that’s all.’
‘Well, if there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know.’
Did she know? Chrissy glanced across at Natalie and smiled. She couldn’t know. No one did. ‘Thank you, but its fine.’
‘Good. Are you looking forward to the school Christmas Concert tomorrow?’
‘Oh, yes.’ Chrissy bit her bottom lip, how could she have forgotten about that? The girls had been so excited practising their lines and the songs all last week, but with everything that had happened over the weekend, she hadn’t even thought about it.
‘It’s normally really good, the school as a whole put a lot of effort into it. They normally go to town with the decorations and, a major plus point, they give out mulled wine and mince pies to the audience!’
‘Really? The girls’ last school just used to throw something together last minute. I remember Evie having a melt-down last year because they’d only given her four days to learn her lines. She’s quite the perfectionist, so it had completely thrown her and she’d rather not do something at all than be rushed or feel as though she’s not prepared.’
‘That’s awful. You’ll be in for a treat tomorrow then.’
‘It sounds like it.’ Although she’d have to spend time in the same room as both Andrew and Luke. Two men who had cheated on her. She focused on a pink teddy lying on the floor and took a deep breath. She’d get through it, for the girls, she’d be fine.
‘SOPHIA, EVIE. DID YOU both have a good day?’ Smiling, Chrissy accepted their rucksacks, slipping them over her shoulder before leading the way across the playground and through the gates.
‘It was great! We practised the Christmas Concert and then we baked mince pies to give out to the parents.’
‘That sounds like a really good day, Evie. How about you, Sophia?’
‘It was ok.’ Sophia shrugged her shoulders.
‘Hey, what’s the matter?’ Chrissy slowed her pace to walk alongside Sophia.
‘She got told off for rushing her spellings.’
‘Did you, Sophia?’
‘Yes, but if Evie hadn’t rushed me this morning I could have done them properly and made my handwriting better.’ Sophia scowled at Evie.
‘Hey, don’t blame me. It was you who forgot to do your homework over the weekend.’
‘No, it was my fault, Sophia, not your Evie’s. I should have reminded you to do your homework. Never mind, let’s forget about it now. Your teacher knows how neat your handwriting is normally and, besides, as long as you were learning your spellings I can’t see what difference it makes if you were rushing to write them or not.’
‘I suppose.’
‘Right, well, I thought we could go home, practise your lines and songs for the Concert and then have a movie night with the Christmas lights on. What do you think?’
‘Yes, ok.’
‘Good.’ She needed to make it up to the twins for being so rubbish lately. What with feeling drained and sick with the pregnancy and upset over what had happened with Luke, she’d taken her eyes off of what she should be doing. But now it was just the three, soon to be four of them, things would get better.
Chapter 22
Standing in the queue tailing across the playground, Chrissy rubbed her hands together. She’d left her gloves at the cottage and by the time she’d realised she’d been halfway down the lane and hadn’t had time to turn back. She had wanted to get to the school and into the hall before Andrew turned up. If she’d known there would be this many people coming to watch the school’s Christmas Concert, she would have left earlier to get a better space in the queue.
Looking in front and behind her, there was still no sign of Andrew, but she spotted Luke with Natalie and Graham near the front of the queue. She quickly ducked back behind the person in front of her, the last thing she wanted was for Natalie to spot her and wave her to join them. She was here to focus on the girls, it was going to be hard enough having to share the same air as Andrew, she didn’t want to be forced to sit next to Luke and have all of her hopes and dreams for the future rubbed in her face.
‘It’s cold, isn’t it?’ An elderly lady in front of her pushed a strand of loose grey hair behind her ear and turned to face Chrissy.
‘Absolutely freezing.’ Nodding in agreement, Chrissy stuck her hands in her pockets.
‘Shouldn’t be much longer now though, love. They normally open the doors at o’clock.’
‘Oh, good. Let’s hope it’s a little warmer in there.’ Smiling, Chrissy checked her watch, it was three minutes to.
‘Is it your first time at the Christmas Concert? I don’t remember seeing you around school?’
‘Yes, we only moved out here a couple of months ago.’
‘Ah, that’ll be why I haven’t seen you then. My grandchildren come here and I’ve never missed an assembly, concert or performance yet. I’m Elsie, by the way.’
‘Nice to meet you, Elsie, I’m Chrissy. What Years are your grandchildren in?’
‘We have Gemma who’s in Year Six now and little Thomas who just started in Reception this last September.’
‘Lovely ages.’ Chrissy pulled her scarf up higher against the wind. ‘My girls are in Year Five.’
‘Not the twins, by any chance?’
‘Yes, that’s them. Evie and Sophia.’
‘I think they’re the
only new ones in Year Five since last June, I think, when Harry started the school. I pop in a couple of times a week to help hear readers and change books.’
‘Wow, that’s great. Well, thank you, and I hope my girls have been good for you.’
‘Yes, yes, very polite. Good little readers too.’
Glancing around, Chrissy spotted Andrew joining the end of the queue. He’d brought Susan. It was definitely her, the bleach blonde highlights and high heels were unmistakable. Taking a deep breath in, she quickly turned back to Elsie.
‘Are you ok, love? You look as though you’ve seen a ghost.’
‘Yes, yes, I’m fine. Sorry. I just spotted someone I don’t particularly want to run into tonight.’ What had they been talking about? Reading, that was it. She needed to keep her mind off of Andrew and Susan, she needed to focus. ‘So what made you volunteer at the school?’
‘I used to come here, and after that, my own children came here. I even worked here for a while.’
‘Oh, lovely.’
‘Yes, it is. It’s a very good school. My children and my grandchildren have done well here.’
‘It does seem a nice school.’
‘Here we go, they’re letting us in now.’ Elsie shuffled a few steps forward until the line paused again.
AS THEY MADE THEIR way into the hall, the warmth hit Chrissy. The difference in temperature between outside and in the hall was huge. Unzipping her coat, she immediately unwound her scarf.
‘You enjoy it, love.’ Elsie patted Chrissy’s arm and made her way to a seat which had been saved in the second row, waving at the couple who were already sat down.
‘You too.’ Chrissy watched Elsie settle into her seat, chatting away to the couple and shook her head. The hall was filling up quickly and she needed to find a seat before Andrew and Susan came in.
‘Excuse me.’ A woman carrying a baby with one hand and holding onto a toddler with the other squeezed past her.
Making her way down the fourth row of plastic chairs, the closest row to the stage still available, she sat down. Tugging her arms from her sleeves, she slid out of her coat and lay it across her lap. This was the first time she had ever been to a school function on her own. Andrew had always managed to get the time off work, or as she’d realise later, away from Susan to come or if he really couldn’t then his parents would have.
She quietly laughed at herself, she supposed she wasn’t alone really, was she? Andrew was here and he’d brought Susan too. She twisted around in her seat, trying to spot them in the crowds. She needed to know where they were sat. Two rows back, on the left. Hopefully, when the lights were dimmed they wouldn’t be able to see her, she just needed to avoid eye contact with them until then. She tugged on a loose strand of hair, the messy bun she’d tied up to get her hair out of her face as she’d thrown up her lunch was getting messier by the minute. If she’d known he was bringing her she would have at least straightened her hair.
‘Chrissy.’
Jerking her head up, she spotted Natalie as she squeezed down the row towards her. ‘Hi, Natalie.’
‘There’s a spare seat next to us on the third row, if you want to join us?’
‘No, it’s ok, thanks though.’ She couldn’t sit next to Luke.
‘Ok. I’m going up to get some mulled wine, shall I bring you one back?’
‘What? No, sorry, no thanks. I had a coffee before I came out. I don’t think I could fit any more liquid in my bladder at the moment.’ Laughing, Chrissy cringed, her answer had sounded over the top even to her. She bundled her coat up in her lap and fiddled with her scarf.
‘Ok, I’ll catch you later then.’ Smiling, Natalie turned and squeezed back down the row towards the drinks table that had been set up.
Dipping her head down, Chrissy tried not to let her eyes be pulled towards Luke who was sitting to her right in the row ahead. He hadn’t taken his black beanie hat off yet, he must be too warm, surely? With all these people in the hall, it was quickly becoming uncomfortably hot. He hadn’t brought Laura then. At least one of her exes had done the decent thing and not brought their mistresses along to remind Chrissy that she hadn’t been good enough.
The lights dipped as Jingle Bells played over the speakers. Stage lights were switched on, shining on groups of children at either side of the stage who must have entered the hall when the lights had been dimmed. Chrissy searched in the groups and found Sophia on the left towards the back, mumbling along to the song. Evie was on the other side, standing tall and proud, singing as loud as she could.
The children retold the Nativity, with numerous adaptations and jokes thrown in. Each Year Group had taken a section to re-enact beginning with Reception and leading up to the last scene played by the pupils in Year Six. Every child had a turn on the stage, the majority even had a small speaking part.
When it was the turn of the twins’ class, Evie played her part of the Star showing the way perfectly, happily skipping around the stage and reciting a short poem instructing the shepherds to follow her.
Grinning, Chrissy gave Evie the thumbs up as she finished her poem and skipped back across the stage. Although she had always been the quieter of the twins, Evie had always come to life on the stage, exuding a confidence she struggled to find during her everyday life.
Sophia, on the other hand, although the more confident of the two, absolutely hated any form of acting or anything where she was put in the spotlight and came onto the stage, head down and mumbling her words under her breath, barely audible above the normal rustling and toddlers talking from the audience. Sitting up as tall as she could, Chrissy caught her eye, giving her the thumbs up and smiling at her, letting her know that she was proud of her. Sophia had been worrying about the Christmas Concert for weeks now, and had woken in the night telling Chrissy that she just couldn’t bring herself to talk in front of everyone. So Chrissy knew how much effort it had taken Sophia to come up on stage in front of them all, act out her part of a Shepherdess and mutter her lines.
Instinctively turning to her side, Chrissy bit her tongue as she remembered she was on her own. There was no Andrew or his parents next to her to tell each other how well the twins had done or to say that Evie had outperformed last year’s part or that they were so proud of Sophia for managing to do something she was so clearly uncomfortable with.
Twisting around in the dark, Chrissy watched as Andrew leant in towards Susan, whispering to her. No doubt telling her the same things he normally said to Chrissy. Tearing her eyes away from them, their silhouettes highlighted from a stage light behind them, she shook her head and reminded herself that she was far happier sat on her own than she had been last year at the twins Christmas Concert with Andrew. She didn’t need his hand on her knee, a front to pretend to the world that they were a happy couple, providing a happy and secure upbringing for their girls, when in truth, and unbeknown to all, including Chrissy, Andrew had been planning to rush off to ‘work’ on a ‘callout’ as soon as the curtains had closed on the production. No, she didn’t need the lying anymore, the façade. She was just fine on her own.
THE WHOLE SCHOOL SQUEEZED onto the stage to sing Away in the Manger before bowing and heading back to their classrooms in an orderly line.
Chrissy slipped on her coat as the hall lights were turned on, she needed to get outside and around to the Evie and Sophia’s classroom door before she ran into Andrew. At least she knew he wouldn’t be hanging around to see them, being as it was during the day he really would have to head back to work, Susan would too.
‘Excuse me, please?’ Chrissy weaved through the crowds of parents milling around chatting to each other. Pulling at her scarf, she wished she hadn’t put it on until she’d made it outside, it really was hot and stuffy in the hall. Too stuffy, she could hardly breathe. Looking back, she could see Andrew helping Susan with her coat, they had barely even stood up. She had time.
‘Sorry.’ Why she was apologising when the pushchair had come out of nowhere, she had no idea, bu
t she steadied herself and smiled before striding the last few steps to the door.
The cold wind whipped in her face and she braced herself against the chill. Pulling her scarf up higher over her chin, she made her way to where the twins would be let out once they’d got changed.
SLOWLY, PARENTS, FRIENDS and grandparents joined Chrissy on the playground after filtering out from the hall. Checking her watch, she realised she’d only been waiting five minutes. They’d probably take at least ten or fifteen to get changed and get their things ready to come home. She wriggled her toes in her trainers, glad she had kept her thick slipper socks on.
‘Chrissy.’
Jerking her head up, Chrissy slowly turned, holding her breath. She’d recognise that voice for the rest of her life. ‘Andrew. Susan.’
‘We just thought we’d pop over to tell the girls how proud we are of them after their performance.’
‘Right.’ Had he really used the term ‘we’, referring to both himself and Susan? Susan had no right to be proud of them. She was nothing to them. Apart from being the woman to break up their parents’ marriage, of course. As for Andrew, well, it was debatable whether he had any right to be proud of them either. He hadn’t helped them practise their lines or learn the songs or encouraged them in any way.
‘I hope you don’t mind me tagging along? Now that I’m a big part of the girls’ lives, I feel we all need to be mature about the situation and show the girls that we are getting along for their benefit, don’t you think?’ Susan smiled, her coral pink lipstick cracking at the corners of her mouth.
A ‘big part of their lives’? She saw them once every two weeks, and then from what the twins had said she was often out anyway. Who the hell did she think she was? What gave her the right to talk down to Chrissy? To make out that Chrissy wasn’t ‘being mature’? She hadn’t even clapped eyes on the woman since Andrew’s Christmas party three years ago. How could she even suggest that Chrissy wasn’t being mature? Had Andrew said something? What though? She’d always been civil to him. In fact, it was Andrew who had the tendency to be immature, not her.